I am playing with the idea of 3d scanning and am primarily a diy cnc'er as more here seem to be. the question is, as most of use are using mach 2, which moves on a grid and then drops the z azis, why bother doing a probe that switches when bumps horozontally? It would also seem that switching would be simpler is we were only looking to switch the z axis and as long as the switch was consistently repeatable, it would be ok if the probe moved more than .001 as long as the switch tripped after the same amount of movement? just checking to see if anyone has played with this idea.

I am playing with the idea of 3d scanning and am primarily a diy cnc'er as more here seem to be. the question is, as most of use are using mach 2, which moves on a grid and then drops the z azis, why bother doing a probe that switches when bumps horozontally? It would also seem that switching would be simpler is we were only looking to switch the z axis and as long as the switch was consistently repeatable, it would be ok if the probe moved more than .001 as long as the switch tripped after the same amount of movement? just checking to see if anyone has played with this idea.

Even though you'll be plunging down Z, if the part is sloped the probe can flex sideways. If there's not a switch to detect that, it might brake before the z switch is pressed.

Very soon, Mach3 will have a new probing system that supposedly will be much, much faster, and may not necessarily go straight up and down only. It's being beta tested now.

Hi,

Ger21: Can you give us some kind of link where we can follow this new system for Mach 3? Will it be free or a pay add on?

Thanks

Sebastian

Sebastian the Mach yahoo forum has some info sprinkled through several days of threads. I was to beta test last week, but got sick with strepp throat. Went to the shop sick.........shouldn't have. Broke my probe. I was just setting up to start the first test of the new plugin and due to several things I simply did not pay attention. Like I said.........I shouldn't have been there.

I think there will be a fee for this when it is all said and done. It is just now in it's first stage of development but I can tell you a little about it. The process is what Art calls a "wiggler" path. You give the system the parameters to work in and it basically searches for contact till the switch is made. Once that happens the probe will wiggle back and forth and up and down by only a few .0000 at a time without retracting from the surface. The goal is to be able to probe 30,000 points per hr which is almost 100 times faster than I can do currently with the up and down method. Now admittedly some of my parts require a deep z move and this will eliminate that wasted motion.

I'm going to try to get my probe fixed by this weekend and will give an update then.

Mike

Any news on this stuff? I've been looking for a cnc project, and since I already have access to a mill and wirecutter, I'm now thinking about a probe digitizer. Am I correct in thinking a probe is just a mill with a special spindle? Could I make both in the same machine?

Thanks

Drew